Successful Tips For Job Searching After A Career Break

Taking a career break can be a difficult decision. Whether you’ve taken time off to care for family members, or simply needed to recharge your batteries after years of dedication and hard work, the job market and job search can sometimes seem daunting when returning. 

So, how do you make the most of your time away and relaunch your career? If you’re looking for successful tips for job searching after a career break, look no further!

In this blog post, we provide essential advice on how to make the most of your new venture and come back even stronger than before.

How to define your goals that are specific to your job search:

Defining specific goals for job searching can help you focus your efforts and increase your chances of success.

Here are some steps you can take to define your goals:

1. Identify your target job: Consider what kind of job you would like to have, taking into account things like industry, job function, location, salary, and company culture.
2. Set specific, measurable, and achievable goals: Use SMART criteria to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
3. Create an action plan: Break down your goals into smaller, actionable tasks that you can complete each day, week, or month to move you closer to achieving your goals.
4. Be flexible: Be open to different job opportunities that align with your skills and values, even if they are not exactly what you initially envisioned.
5. Set a deadline: Give yourself a specific time frame in which to achieve your goals. This can help increase your sense of accountability and motivate you to complete the task

Example of Specific, Measurable and Achievable Job searching Goals:

1. By the end of the month, I want to submit at least 25 job applications for positions that align with my skills and values.
2. By the end of next quarter, I want to secure at least 2 job interviews for roles that meet my salary and location requirements.
3. Within the next 6 months, I want to land a job offer with a salary increase of at least 10% from my current job.

How to research the job market within your career:

Researching the job market within your career is an important step in understanding the opportunities available to you, as well as identifying areas of high demand or potential growth.

Here are some steps you can take to research the job market within your career:

1. Start with online research: Use online resources such as job search engines, company websites, and industry-specific websites to get a broad understanding of the job market within your career.
2. Look at job posting trends when job searching: Look at the number and types of job postings in your field over time. This will give you a sense of which industries and job roles are in high demand, as well as which ones may be shrinking.
3. Understand the skills and qualifications required: Look at the qualifications and skills that are frequently required in job postings within your career. This will give you an idea of the specific skills and qualifications you’ll need to be competitive in the job market.
4. Network while job searching: Use your existing networks, such as friends and family, to learn about the job market within your career. You can also attend networking events and industry conferences, to make new connections.
5. Look at salary trends: Understand the average salary ranges and benefit packages within your career. This will give you an idea of what you can expect to earn and what the market standard is.
6. Research the companies as you are job searching: Research the companies that are in your field and understand their size, location, reputation, culture, growth, and opportunities.
7. Stay informed in your job searching: Keep up with industry trends and news, by subscribing to relevant newsletters, joining professional organizations and following relevant influencers on social media.

By following these steps, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the job market within your career and identify potential opportunities for growth and advancement.

How to Create a resume and online presence that stands out to help your job searching:

It can be difficult to know how to make your resume and online presence stand out when you’re returning to the workforce after a career break.

However, there are some things you can do to improve your job searching chances of being noticed by potential employers.

Start by ensuring that your resume is up-to-date and relevant to the types of jobs you are applying for. If you have been out of the workforce for a while, consider taking a course or attending a workshop to brush up on your skills.

Creating a strong resume and online presence can help make your job search more effective by making it easier for potential employers to find and notice you. Here are some steps you can take to create a resume and online presence that stands out in your job search:

1. Tailor your resume: Tailor your resume to the specific job you’re applying for by highlighting the skills and experiences that are most relevant to that role.
2. Use keywords when job searching: Use keywords from the job posting to optimize your resume and make it more easily searchable by hiring managers.
3. Use a professional format as part of your job searching: Use a clean and professional format that is easy to read and understand. Avoid using overly fancy or creative formats that can be hard to read or distracting.
4. Keep it concise: Keep your resume concise and to the point, highlighting your most important achievements and experiences.
5. Highlight your achievements in your job searching: Instead of just listing your responsibilities and duties, focus on how you excelled in those roles and what you were able to achieve.
6. Optimize your online presence: Make sure that your online presence is professional and up-to-date by regularly updating your LinkedIn profile and other social media accounts.
7. Use a professional headshot in your job search: Use a recent and professional headshot for your LinkedIn profile, to make a good first impression.
8. Leverage professional networks in your job searching: Connect with other professionals in your field on LinkedIn and other professional networks. This can help you build relationships, learn about job opportunities, stay informed about industry trends and make job searching less stressful.
9. Create a personal brand in your job searching: Create a personal brand by creating a consistent message and visual identity across your resume, LinkedIn profile and other social media accounts.

Tips for Online Job Searching:

Whether you’re looking for your first job or restarting your career after a break, the process of job searching can be daunting. With so many resources and advice available online, it’s hard to know where to start.

The following tips will help you navigate the world of online job searching and make the most of your career break.

1. Get organized before you begin your job searching: 

Before you start job searching, take some time to get organized. Create a list of the skills and experience you have to offer employers. If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, consider taking an online course or brushing up on your computer skills. This will make it easier to update your resume and tailor your applications to each job.

2. Utilize social media as part of your job searching strategy:

Social media is a great way to connect with potential employers and research companies you’re interested in working for. Use LinkedIn to find jobs that match your skillset and follow companies that interest you. Twitter is also a valuable resource for job seekers – many companies post open positions on their Twitter feeds.

3. Use job search engines to improve your job searching means:

There are many online job search engines that can help you find open positions in your field. Consider using popular sites like Indeed, Monster, or CareerBuilder. These sites allow you to search for jobs by location, keyword, or company name. You can also set up alerts so you’re notified when new positions are posted that match your criteria.

4. Apply early and often

Don’t wait for the perfect job to come along. Start by applying for jobs you’re interested in and use each application as an opportunity to practice your writing and interviewing skills. You never know where a job opportunity may lead, so it’s important to stay open-minded and keep applying.

5. Network to help make a success of your job searching:

Networking is an invaluable tool that can help you find a job more quickly. Reach out to family, friends, former colleagues, or acquaintances who may be able to connect you with potential employers or give you advice on the job searching process.

 Don’t be afraid to ask for help – many people are willing to lend a hand if they understand how important it is for you to find work.

How to be creative in your job searching journey:

If you’re returning to the workforce after a career break, congratulations! It can be a daunting task to enter the job market again after taking some time off, but don’t worry – we’re here to help.

 Here are some tips to make your job-searching journey a little smoother:

1. Dust off your resume and update it with your current skills and experiences. If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, you may need to brush up on your resume-writing skills. Check out our guide on how to write a resume after a career break for some tips.

2. Use social media to your advantage. Social media is a great way to connect with potential employers and get your name out there. Make sure you have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile and take advantage of other platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

3. Network, network, network! Get connected with people in your industry and attend industry events. This will help you stay up-to-date with trends and developments in your field, as well as giving you the opportunity to meet potential employers face-to-face.

4. Be realistic about your salary expectations. If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, you may need to adjust your salary expectations downwards. Be sure to do some research on salary ranges for your desired position before beginning your job searchING JOURNEY.

5. Don’t give up! Job searching can be tough, especially after a career break, but don’t let it get you down. Be persistent and creative in your job search – explore different channels, get creative with your applications, and don’t be afraid to reach out to potential employers.

How to utilize your network in your job searching strategy:

If you’re returning to the workforce after a career break, it’s important to utilize your professional network.

Here are some tips on how to do so:

1. Get in touch with old colleagues and acquaintances. Let them know you’re looking for work and see if they have any leads or advice.

2. Attend industry events and networking functions. This is a great way to meet potential employers and get your name out there.

3. Use social media to your advantage. LinkedIn is a great platform for job seekers, so make sure you’re active there.

4. Ask for help from friends and family. They may know someone who’s hiring or be able to put in a good word for you with their own contacts.

Utilizing your network is key when job searching, so use these tips to help you land that dream job!

How to explain your career break:

If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, you might be worried about how to explain your career break when you start job searching again. But don’t worry – there are plenty of ways to do it!

Here are some tips:

Taking a career break can be a challenging topic to discuss during a job interview, but with proper preparation, you can explain your career break in a positive and professional way to help your job-searching journey.

Here are a few tips for explaining your career break:

1. Be honest (It will help with your job searching success): Be upfront and honest about why you took a career break. Explain the reasons for your absence in a positive and non-defensive manner.
2. Highlight what you learned prior to your job searching period: Emphasize the skills and experiences you gained during your break. For example, if you were a caregiver, talk about the skills of patience, empathy, and problem-solving that you developed during that time.
3. Show how you’ve kept your skills current: Explain how you’ve kept your skills current during your break. For example, if you took online classes or volunteered opportunities to stay current in your field.
4. Talk about your goals in your quest of job searching: Emphasize your enthusiasm for returning to the workforce and your commitment to your career goals.
5. Keep it brief: The interviewer will be more interested in what you can do for the company now, rather than your past experiences. So, keep your explanation of the career break concise, focusing on what you’ve learned and what you bring to the table now.

Example: “I took a career break to care for my family, during that time I used my skills to volunteer in various organizations and I also took online classes to keep my skills current.

I’m excited to return to the workforce and to apply my skills and experiences to a professional setting. The skills I developed during that time such as patience, time management, and attention to detail will be an asset to any company”

By following these tips, you can explain your career break in a positive and professional way and show potential employers that you’re ready to return to the workforce and bring value to their company and you win your job searching journey.

Conclusion

Job searching after a career break can be a daunting task, but with the right preparation and strategy, you can land your dream job.

Take the time to update your resume and CV, research companies whose values match yours, network actively online and offline, take advantage of online job posting platforms and utilize helpful resources like mentorship programs or mentors.

With these tips in mind and a positive mindset, you will have all the tools to make an informed decision when it comes to deciding which direction is best for your future and it will end in a successful job-searching journey.